SCI2-RESPIRATORY-INTRODUCTION

Respiratory Health

Individuals with SCI, particularly in quadriplegia, can have severe limitations in their respiratory function. Acutely, this can limit the individual’s ability to begin the healing and rehabilitation process. It can also lead to long term secondary complication risks such as decreased ventilation, pneumonia, sleep apnea, fatigue, among other issues. With early diagnosis and treatment, we can determine what treatments are necessary to improve the healing process and we can help to ensure fewer complications.

The way respiratory information is collected and reported is qutie variable at each hospital. We are awaiting more consistent data for respiratory measures (spirometry, overnight oximetry and peak cough flow) before creating this report.